High-end gaming smartphones often come with a hefty price tag, but the ZTE nubia Neo 2 5G defies the trend by delivering exceptional gaming features at an affordable price point.
Priced at Php 9,999, the nubia Neo 2 promises to provide a satisfying gaming experience without breaking the bank. However, as with any budget-friendly device, the question remains: is it too good to be true? Let’s dive in and find out.
Design and Display
The nubia Neo 2 5G has a striking design inspired by mecha robots. It features ZTE’s “Bionic Mecha Design” which incorporates a three-dimensional effect and the “Hero Eye” texture to create what looks like half a robot’s face.
The device has a sleek profile with a flat display, flat sides, and curved corners. Also, the dual octagon-shaped camera modules on the back complement the overall Bionic Mecha Design, creating a cohesive look.
Overall, I like the look of the phone, despite my own reservations about “gamery” aesthetics. This design offers a good balance between gaming flair, build quality, and clean aesthetics, without looking garish.
The phone has a large 6.72-inch IPS display with an FHD 2400×1080 resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The colors are decent, however, it lacks the vibrancy found in more expensive handsets. Otherwise, the screen is fine for gaming, watching videos, and consuming other content.
The Neo 2’s left side houses the volume controls and SIM tray. The right side has a power button and dual shoulder triggers. At the bottom, you’ll find the primary microphone, a USB-C port, and a speaker. A secondary microphone is positioned at the top of the device, with the earpiece doubling as a second speaker.
Cameras
The phone is equipped with a dual camera setup, consisting of a 50MP main camera and a 2MP depth sensor. It also has a 16MP front-facing shooter underneath a hole punch cutout.
The camera app offers a practical and friendly interface with all the important modes within reach. Shooting modes include video, capture, and portrait. Under the “More” tab, you’ll find several more modes for different shooting scenarios, including pro, panorama, night, and street.
The main camera captures decent images in bright lighting. However, they have soft details and limited dynamic range. Additionally, the phone’s low-light performance is average with noticeable image noise and a decline in sharpness and detail.
Selfies are generally acceptable. But upon closer inspection, the details appear slightly soft.
Given that this is a gaming-focused device, the camera quality is good enough for social media posting viewed from a smartphone’s screen, but it won’t impress.
Sample Photos
Performance
The nubia Neo 2 5G is powered by a 2.7GHz Unisoc T820 processor with 8GB of RAM, up to 12GB extended RAM, and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The phone runs on MyOS 13, based on Android 13. Hopefully, it will be updated to at least Android 14. Still, don’t expect much when it comes to OS updates.
The Neo 2 5G keeps bloatware to a minimum, unlike other devices in this price range. The device also includes the Gamespace app, a dedicated gaming hub that offers various settings to optimize performance. You can customize the shoulder triggers within this app to align with the on-screen buttons.
In everyday use, the Neo 2 delivers smooth and responsive performance. There are no discernable lags or stutters. Apps and games run without issue.
Moreover, the sound quality of the speakers is good for the price. The bass is lacking, but it’s clear and loud.
For gaming performance, the phone comfortably handles most titles. Games like CODM and PUBG can run up to medium graphics settings with the option to increase frame rates. The shoulder triggers also shine in these first-person shooters. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, on the other hand, can go all the way up to ultra graphics and frame rate. Of course, for the best performance, we recommend setting them lower.
During testing, we experienced no noticeable lag during gameplay. However, the phone did become warm during prolonged gaming sessions.
Here are the benchmark scores:
- AnTuTu Benchmark
Total: 509,974 - Geekbench 6
Single core: 893
Multi-core: 2267 - 3DMark
Wild Life: 1981
Notice the AnTuTu Benchmark score of 509,974. The phone’s raw performance outpaces most devices within the 10K price range, even surpassing some more expensive models.
Battery and Charging
The nubia Neo 2 5G is equipped with a 6,000mAh battery. During testing, it lasted a day of moderate usage with a mix of browsing, social media, and YouTube, even when constantly connected to 5G and Wi-Fi.
Surprisingly, I still had to charge early the next day. I was expecting a bit more from it given the size of the battery. Regardless, I find it satisfactory as a daily driver.
The battery charges via a 33W USB-C fast charger. It took 1 hour and 30 minutes to charge the phone to 100%.
Remarks
The nubia Neo 2 5G is a stand-out device in a competitive sub-10K market with decent performance, unique features, and a striking design. One of its best features, in my opinion, is the shoulder triggers, which significantly enhance the gaming experience, especially in shooting games. Moreover, it supports 5G connectivity, which is uncommon in this range.
This device does have some minor drawbacks. The camera’s low-light performance could be better, and OS updates might be less frequent than I would have liked.
Despite everything, the nubia Neo 2 5G is still a good recommendation for gamers on a budget. It delivers exceptional value for the price.
Price and Availability
The nubia Neo 2 5G is now available in ZTE Device Philippines stores nationwide for Php 9,999.
ZTE nubia Neo 2 5G specs
| Display | 6.72-inch FHD IPS display, 2400×1080, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Unisoc T820, 6 nm |
| RAM/Storage | 8GB+256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP main 2MP depth |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Network | 5G, 4G LTE |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS |
| Others | Side fingerprint scanner, USB-C, stereo speakers, dual shoulder triggers, Live Island notification feature |
| OS | Android 14 |
| Colors | Sunrise Yellow, Frost Silver, Storm Grey |
| Battery | 6000mAh battery, 33W fast charging |
